Memorial Day weekend has passed, the kids are out of school (for the most part) and the weather is starting to heat up…though it’s not official until June 21, summer is practically here! That means vacations, summer camps and lazy days that don’t require a heavy, hot meal to provide nourishment. With that in mind, the Traina family offers all the ways (and reasons) to stock up on Traina Home Grown® dried fruit products all summer long.

Road Trips — Who doesn’t love a good summer road trip? Whether armed with an agenda or a spontaneous getaway without a decided ending point, a road trip is more about the journey than the destination. It’s also good to come prepared for long hours en route. A great playlist loaded with summer-vacation themed tunes, some crossword puzzles or car games for the kids and, of course, snacks! Load a cooler full of water bottles and bring along some carrot chips, and string cheese, Traina Home Grown® fruitons and nuts, for example. After all, a good snack is the perfect way to silence the “are we there yets.” 

Snacking — Speaking of snacks, the parents out there know that all summer long, the kids are snacking. Switching up a three-square-meals routine for more casual, ahem, dining, is not a bad thing — as long as healthy patterns are maintained. It’s been shown that people are not getting enough fruit in their diets. Traina Home Grown® dried fruits are a convenient and delicious way to get more fruit in everyone’s diet. They are also naturally sweet (great for satisfying that sweet tooth) and also provide a multitude of nutrients in every serving. Sprinkle some fruitons on yogurt for a mini morning meal, combine them with oats, nuts or pre-made granola for an afternoon fuel up, or enjoy them all by themselves. When sending the kids off to summer or day camps, fruitons are another easy and super yummy way to keep them energized and nourished all day long.

Nutrition on the Go — Much like a road trip, when spending the day out and about at a theme park, or museum, families are usually at the mercy of what’s available for purchase at said location when it comes to getting a bite to eat. And usually the healthy options are few and far between. A few packs of Traina Home Grown® individual sized fruitons, some lean beef sticks and whole grain crackers tossed into a purse or backpack can be enough to stave off hunger while exploring this summer.

“Grown Up” Snacking — A charcuterie and cheese board is basically the adult (and decidedly upscale) version of a snack platter (think meats, cheese, nuts, olives, bread or crackers, jams, and dried fruit). So when it comes time for a summer happy hour, forgo a heavy meal in favor of a beautiful, healthy yet filling board piled with all of the favorites mentioned above. These boards can be customized and changed up depending on diner’s tastes, so they never get boring… and they require no cooking (aka no reason to heat up the kitchen with a hot stove or oven — bonus!) For wine enthusiasts, selecting a light summer varietal that pairs well with the selected snacks is just the beginning of the fun!

There are no shortage of ways and reasons to enjoy dried fruits. And in today’s busy world, the Traina family is on a fruit-forward™ mission to help people get the fruit they need in their daily diets — one delicious dried fruit at a time! For more recipes, tips and product information, visit www.trainafoods.com.